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Elliott Animation Achieves More Creative Control and Cost Benefits With Craft Camera Tools for GCS3

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 March 2009, 12:59 CDT

Revolutionary System Allows Complex Shot Creation for 'Rollbots' without Incurring Additional Costs

GOTHENBURG, Sweden and SAN DIEGO, Calif., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- It's rare when a production facility discovers a way to dramatically increase the complexity of an animated series while staying on budget. Toronto-based Elliott Animation made this very breakthrough using Craft Camera Tools(TM) for GCS3(TM), a software and hardware bundle developed by Craft Animations(TM) AB and Gamecaster(R), for its new animated children's series "Rollbots."

Craft Camera Tools for GCS3 completely eliminates the time-consuming and costly process of traditional keyframing of virtual cameras in 3D animated scenes. This enabled Elliott Animation to produce digital layouts requiring highly complex camera movements much faster than traditional keyframing would have entailed, which saved the company a tremendous amount of budget.

"We estimate that completing these complex shots traditionally would have added an additional $600,000 in costs to the production," says George Elliott, president of Elliott Animation. "By using Craft Camera Tools for GCS3, we were able to keep the intricate camerawork in the show while staying within our budget."

Combining the advanced technology of Craft Animations' Craft Camera Tools software with Gamecaster's patented GCS3 virtual camera control hardware creates a superior bundle that revolutionizes the process of directing animation -- through the camera's viewfinder, providing hands-on control over the virtual camera. Elliott found that with real-time creative control over animated scenes, he could afford to experiment with alternate takes and see immediate results.

"From a creative standpoint, Craft Camera Tools for GCS3 is a huge step beyond camera keyframing, especially with respect to complex camera movements," he says. "It makes it easier, faster and cheaper to get exactly the kind of shots we want."

To view the full case study highlighting Elliott Animation's use of Craft Camera Tools for GCS3 during the production of "Rollbots," please visit:

www.gamecaster.com/case-study.

The Craft Camera Tools for GCS3 software and hardware bundle is now available. To request pricing information, please e-mail GCS3@gamecaster.com.

Elliott Animation used the Craft Camera Tools for GCS3 system for the production of "Rollbots," a new 3D animated kids' series from Amberwood Entertainment that recently premiered on Canada's YTV and is coming soon to the U.S. on the CW 4K!DS Network.

Craft Animations and Gamecaster will demonstrate the Craft Camera Tools for GCS3 virtual cinematography system at the 2009 Game Developer's Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, March 25-27, in booth 5207. To schedule a demonstration during GDC, please contact Tracy Brawley at Liaison Public Relations, tracy@liaisonpr.com.

About Elliott Animation

Elliott Animation provides a full range of 3D-CGI animation, 2D animation and 2D Flash animation production services for major North American clients from its home base in downtown Toronto, Canada. Elliott Animation has worked on such productions as "Rollbots," "Backyardigans," "Total Drama Island," "6Teen" and "Sitting Ducks." For more information, please go to www.elliottanimation.com.

About Gamecaster(R)

Gamecaster, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, California, is a designer, manufacturer and supplier of virtual camera control technology for the film, television and video game industries, and an organizer and producer of video game tournaments and related television programs for broadcast worldwide in multiple media. For more information, please visit www.gamecaster.com.

About Craft Animations(TM)

Founded in 2006 and based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Craft Animations(TM) AB is a leading developer of a new era of professional real-time 3D animation technology, Craft Director Tools(TM). Based on cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence and autonomous control systems, Craft Director Tools simulate the complex physical behavior of 3D cameras and vehicles such as helicopters, cars, airplanes, boats and motorcycles. Utilized by high-profile companies world-wide such as Digital Domain, Lockheed Martin, Digital Dimension and Toyota; Craft Director Tools streamline production, enhance realism and increase creativity for users in the visual effects, game development, forensic reconstruction and architectural design industries. For more information, please visit www.craftanimations.com.

(C) 2009 Craft Animations AB. All rights reserved. Craft Director Tools is a Registered Trademark of Craft Animations AB. Gamecaster and GCS3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Gamecaster, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The GCS3 device, system and method of use are protected by the United States Patent No. 7,403,220; Taiwanese Patent No. I-280786; and patents pending in other countries.

All other brand names, product names, service marks or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

SOURCE Craft Animations

Source: PR Newswire

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